Blue Skies
As the war between light and darkness continues
Heroes and villains become harder to identify
Kindred spirits separated at birth
Fighting for their place in time to be solidified
The clock ticks faster and faster
While time runs a marathon in this Babylon
But see, the end is only the beginning
The beginning of the calm before the storm
x
Aozora cried silently as Imawa braided her long hair. Imawa sighed as her partner started heaving in sobs once more.
"I can't protect them if I'm not there."
Imawa gently pulled her fingers through the younger woman's hair, comforting her.
"There is nothing we can do but wait, my friend."
The two woman sat in silence.
"Why can't we enter their dimension? We have been going to and forth at our leisure for as long as I've known..." Aozora questioned, her face still pink from crying.
Imawa adjusted her kimono irritably,
"It's all those damn boy's fault. When Rikudo Sennin, the Sage of the Six Paths, had his children...that is what started all of this. And to think that people give credit to the younger brother for creating the Uchiha clan. I've given birth to a number of things...that damn clan, included.
Aozora laughed, "It's only natural that he became the leaders of those you birthed. Its not like you could have lead them. We do not have that privilege..."
Imawa began to brush her hair, "I do not wish to talk of the things I cannot do. How I do wish I could have raised my own."
"Maybe if you hadn't destroyed the world they wouldn't have punished both of us," Aozora glared at her counterpart.
Imawa 'hmphed' and looked at her reflection in the vanity. The link between the two dimensions had slowly began to weaken since the birth of the sons. It was quite disturbing. They had not been able to enter the first dimension in some time, but they hadn't been able to see only recently.
"Aozora...I thought maybe before I was just imagining it...but there is a man...no- parts of a man that keep entering our dimension. An Uchiha."
"An Uchiha? From the first dimension? That's unheard of. What was his character?" the other asked.
"I don't know," Imawa replied, worried, "Though I can't imagine why one of them would want to be in the second dimension. Humans are so silly."
The two women looked at the each other, trying to decipher what this mess was.
"This is not what their creator intended."
Aozora sighed,
"He would have been so disappointed. Rikudo is turning in his grave, I just know it."
x
"I know I'm all smiles and sunshine, but seriously. Fuck this shit," Naruto spat out, ringing the blood out of his pants. Clad in only his boxers, he was washing his clothes in the stream.
They had spent the last three days fighting constantly. Obito and Madara had their way with what was left of Konoha and earlier that day they disappeared.
Sakura slowly laid her worn body onto the hard earth and grunted in agreement. They had fortified a small clearing and were waiting for the others to show up so they could recoup.
"I just feel like...there are so many things our village could have done to prevent any of this, you know?" Sakura said, somewhat to herself. Naruto had told her all that had happened in confidence.
Naruto said nothing as he scrubbed his pants. He agreed with her though. It all started with how konoha dealt with the Uchiha clan, the Kyuubi, and pretty much all related subjects.
"We should just leave."
Sakura sat up immediately and looked at him.
"What?" She whispered. She could not believe her ears. And she could not believe how she did not feel as alarmed as she led on.
Naruto looked at her, his eyes wide and then turned back to his washing.
"Its not like we'd be abandoning them. I just want to help in a way that isn't this." he trailed off quietly.
"Think about what you're saying, Naruto..."
"Think about what I'm saying?" Naruto yelled, not looking at her still, "Look at all the things I've given for this village, even the things I gave before birth!"
He slumped. He thought grievously of his parents, and more so Sasuke.
"Can you blame me, Sakura?"
They sat in silence for a few minutes. While Naruto had overcome his hatred and darkness of the past, the present we becoming harder than ever.
"You know Naruto, I've been having the same thoughts lately," she started, "The elders in this village will not let us do what we need to in order to win. We need information. I think we could do some damage from an external point."
Naruto was startled, "Really?"
"Well...yes. The damn elders don't let you do anything because you're a vessel and I'm stuck being a medic-nin 24/7. Obviously, you and Sasuke are the key to this whole war, and nobody will let us do anything. Its quite frustrating, " Sakura said, staring at the sky intently. She knew she was being selfish but another reason for wanting to help was to get Sasuke back. Even now, she still loved him, even after all he had done.
Naruto was speechless. He laid back down and stared up at the stars himself, Sakura's last words heavy in the air. The breeze was chilly and relaxed his overheated and overused body.
It was true though, Sakura thought. Ever since Madara had made himself known, she knew that things were way more complicated than they'd seemed. And not on the basic level of him being more powerful and evil.
It was all so...elusive.
x
Imawa was ready to punch the living shit out of Aozora. They were trying to meditate and the stupid bitch couldn't stop fidgeting. Right as she was going to open her mouth they felt a pulse that knocked them both over.
"Imawa!" Aozora gasped, steadying herself, while looking down.
"Yeah..." Imawa replied looking beneath her as well, "The second dimension has reopened."
Beneath their feet the white never-ending floor was translucent, showing a hazy picture of the first dimension.
"It doesn't feel right." Aozora remarked, concerned for her people.
"Then we need to go."
With that, Aozora's body began to whisk away with the wind, slowly diluting her color and solidity. Once she had fully dispersed into the wind, Imawa disappeared in a flash and swirl of brightly colored flames after her.
x
When Imawa landed, she felt a little confused,
"Aozora...I thought you were taking us to Konoha."
"Me too..."
They had landed in a gigantic crater. Not one sign of life. When Imawa turned around to observe the other side her face paled.
"This is Konoha."
Aozora whipped around and they both gazed forlornly at the faces carved into stone on the cliffside. The first and second hokages had been destroyed. She did recognize Minato and Tsunade, but that did not soothe her much. Konoha had gone through so many leaders in such a short time period.
"Look for the Uchihas, Imawa."
Imawa nodded and touched her forehead and after a few moments she fell to the floor, weeping.
"There are only...four Uchiha left," the dark haired woman choked out, "Four! This is my village, I helped build it. Those were my sons I gave up to those stupid brothers...and now there are only four...and their blood, so diluted I can barely feel them," she spat.
Aozora turned the other way out of respect as Imawa sobbed. Her people were already dead, her village already destroyed, she knew how her partner felt. She touched her hand to her own forehead.
"There is someone not far from here who is directly half of the Uzumaki clan."
Aozora hugged the crouching figure of Imawa, " I know, I know its painful...I'll be back, and I'll tell you everything I find out"
"Be fast, Aozora. Uzumaki and Uchiha's numbers have been dwindled down into nothing...that does not just happen considering their lineage. I can literally smell war."
Imawa stood up and her blood red ceremonial robes faded away to reveal a modern ANBU outfit with a dark blue hood and matching armor. A giant Uchiha symbol presented proudly on the back of her white vest.
"We need to look more like these creatures, Aozora."
Aozora nodded and her own robes faded to a matching outfit with orange hood and armor and let her body meld with the wind.
x
When she reappeared she found herself near a ninja base. She easily slipped pass the guards and made her way to her target. She stopped before a tent and slowly unzipped the flap. When she peeked inside she saw a young boy with blonde hair snoring away.
Aozora was instantly in love. A wave of pride surged through her as she stepped inside and sat at the edge of his cot. This is my kin, Aozora, thought fondly. So he's a vessel, she thought. She touched his hand and said warmly,
"Naruto."
Aozora moved on top of him as if to pin him down, but did not touch him. She inhaled deeply and then touched her forehead to his.
x (A few Minutes Before) x
The Uchihas hadn't been seen for a few weeks now, and Naruto and Sakura grew antsy. Neither of them had spoke of their conversation, but it weighed heavily on both of their minds.
Would they be technically betraying their village? Even if their was no physical village to betray, just the idea of one?
Both of them were not aloud to leave the village. This bothered Naruto more than anyone because this war had him weaved in and out of it in ways he didn't know. This was about the world, but it was about him too. Didn't he have a right to at least help?
The ninja was laying face down on his bed for some time, depressed. After what seemed like an eternity, he found himself laying in his mind near the tailed beast.
Kyuubi was curled up in his consciousness, no longer caged. He was licking his paw before he noticed the blonde.
"Naruto."
"...what?"
"I think leaving would be in your best interest. These humans...don't realize the magnitude of what is happening. I'm not even sure, honestly."
"Kurama?" Naruto questioned, wondering where he was going with this.
Kyuubi sighed and laid his head back down before continuing, "Though I have been around for a long time...the man who made me, The Sage of the Six Paths, had been around longer than any of you could imagine. Life did not start from him, though he did start this life."
"This life? What do you mean?" Naruto asked, now in front of the fox.
"This has happened once before," Kyuubi spoke, suddenly feeling overwhelmingly sleepy.
Naruto got up and ran to the fox who's eyes were fluttering closed and shook his paw,
"What do you mean it has happened before? Damn fox!" Naruto yelled desperately.
"Uchiha..." Was all Kyuubi could get out before sleep claimed him.
x
Naruto awoke with a start. He delved within himself to visit kyuubi.
"What the hell was that?"
Kyuubi lazily opened one eye at him,
"What was what, kit?"
Naruto scoffed and crossed his arms. Kyuubi eyed him wearily.
"Its no use Naruto. It seems she doesn't want me to tell you yet."
"What..?"
"My advice? Leave. And be careful."
Naruto stared at kyuubi and growled, frustrated. When he came to, he found Sakura sitting on his bed.
"Sakura-chan! Why are you here?"
Sakura looked at him, "I came here because I couldn't sleep to talk to you...but when I came in, there was a woman hovering over you."
"What?!" Naruto yelled, face flushed red.
Sakura recounted what happened.
x Sakura's Flashback x
Sakura couldn't sleep. The state of the shinobi world and the lack of interest in progress from the elders had been eating away at her. She slipped on her shoes and walked to Naruto's tent, wishing to confront him with her thoughts, but when she entered she was presented with a shocking image.
There, on top of Naruto, was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. She was tan like Naruto, but her hair was long, spiky, and seemingly every shade of purple and blue at the same time, every once and while shimmering gold and silver. Her irises were such a light blue they were almost white, and Sakura was stricken. How could someone seem so different and beautiful all at the same time.
The thing that caught her attention the most were the tears running down the woman's face, and the soft sobbing sounds she made as her body shook.
"My people...had such beautiful souls," She said as she cried, sorrow etched deeply into her face.
An intense wave of empathy and compassion washed over Sakura; so intense that she felt she may hurl. She had never felt such a strong emotion.
"Its because you are of me," the mysterious woman spoke, startling Sakura.
The woman finally turned to look at the pink medic-nin,
"I can't believe I couldn't sense you," she said, smiling ruefully, her tears glistening in the moonlight causing her to look even more strange.
The ninja in Sakura finally emerged and she grabbed a kunai,
"Why couldn't I sense your Chakra? What is your purpose?"
The woman smiled smiled,
"Because, Haruno, I don't have Chakra."
Before Sakura could gather herself, the woman began to laugh, the breeze picking up. Her body began to dissolved into the wind and Sakura found herself alone with Naruto.
x End Flashback x
"You mean...there was a woman on top of me?" Naruto grinned, blushing, scratching his head.
"Is that what you're worried about?" Sakura said quietly, a vein throbbing in her forehead, "Is that all you got from that?"
Sakura punched Naruto in the face.
As he whined about he now bruised and bloody cheek, Sakura realized she needed to get to the bottom of this.
Leaving Konoha was becoming more realistic and logical with each passing moment.
x
The next day, Sakura was bustling about the ninja base, healing wounds here and there. While she was directing another medical ninja on how to heal a wound, she spotted Shikamaru talking with Shiho, the swirled glasses kunoichi from the cryptanalysis squad.
Sakura excused herself and ran over to them,
"Hey Shikamaru, can I ask you a question?"
Shikamaru sighed, If you have to."
"Ok," Sakura started, "Have you ever heard of a kunoichi who has long hair that is like...blue and purple at the the same time and it glittered?"
Shikamaru just stared at her.
"What the hell are you talking about? I have never heard of anyone like that. Why do you ask?"
"Oh...no reason," Sakura trailed off, muttering to herself as she walked away.
"That was odd," Shikamaru said.
Shiho said nothing, but looked at the retreating back of Sakura intently.
x
When the sun had set, Sakura finally managed to get away from the medic tent. But beforre she could even relax, she felt someone at the door of her tent.
"May I come in?"
"Yes but please make it fast, I'm done healing..." Sakura trailed of as Shiho came into her tent holding a huge, rusty looking book.
"Shiho-san?" Sakura questioned, very surprised by the visit; they had only spoke a few times.
Shiho sat the book on Sakura's cot and opened it up,
"I'm so sorry to disturb you, Sakura-san. But earlier today when you mentioned the kunoichi, I did remember coming across someone like this."
She finally found the right page and beckoned Sakura over. When she studied the page she saw a picture of a painting with three people in it. The main body was male and the other two were pretty small in the background. Sakura noticed that the smaller of the three had long hair, just like the woman who had been on top of Naruto.
"Now Sakura-san, as you must know, nobody exactly knows of our origins. This is the earliest known painting in our shinobi world. The man is the Sage of the Six paths, thought nobody knows who the two in the back are."
Sakura gazed in wonderment. What could this possibly mean?
"I'll leave this book to you. I hope it will help you with whatever you need, Sakura-san."
With a little bow Shiho began to leave.
"Wait, Shiho-san. Thank you very much, but can I ask where this book is from?" Sakura asked, pining for answers.
"Oh, its one of the few books we have from the Uchiha clan's personal collection."
x
"Sakura-san, I'm not entirely sure that you need my assistance," Sai said blandly. He we sitting on a giant piece of rubble, watching Sakura pick up and throw massive boulders.
"Shut up, Sai," Sakura replied. They were where the Uchiha compound used to be looking for their underground chamber.
"Neji-san would have been much better suited for this," Said spoke once again.
"Sai, please shut the fuck up."
Sai could only remain silent for so long. After about ten minutes, Sai started to speak again.
"Sakura-san-"
"What is it now, Sai?" Sakura growled, vein throbbing.
Sai only smiled that irritating smile and pointed down. Sakura followed and saw that the giant boulder Sai was sitting on was covering a rectangular hole. A hole with a little Uchiha fan near its entrance.
"Bingo!" Sakura smiled triumphantly. Sai jumped off before she picked up the giant piece of rubble and threw it.
"Keep watch for me!" Sakura said cheerfully before she started to descend.
..
x
What Sakura found depths of the chamber was a huge room, with bookshelves full of books from wall to wall. While excited, she also found this discouraging.
"How the hell am I going to find what I need..." She muttered to herself, walking to the bookshelves trying to read the markers indicating their contents.
"What could you possibly need from here, Miss Haruno?"
Sakura snapped to the direction of the voice. In the very corner was a desk with a man sitting, facing the wall. She saw an akatsuki cloak draped over the chair.
"Itachi..." she breathed, trying to not sound fearful. She clutched the book Shiho lent her in one hand and a kunai in the other.
"Don't worry, I didn't come he to fight anyone today, " Itachi said, not bothering to turn around but chose to raise his book up, "I wanted to read."
They stood there for what seemed to be a millennia.
"Naruto told me the truth about you." Sakura said suddenly.
Itachi shifted and she finally saw part of his face, staring at her intently. He smacked his book shut.
"I guess it can't be helped."
Sakura tensed as he stood up and she took a few steps backwards as he began to walk towards her. When her back hit the wall she realized there was nowhere to go; she could only watch him as he got closer.
He is rather handsome, Sakura thought. Up close she realized that he was much more attractive than Sasuke, even though she would never admit it. Maybe it was the newfound knowledge of the true nature of his character that made his presence affect her so severely.
"W-why are you here?" Sakura stuttered, trying to break the tension.
"I just felt like coming...I can not explain it. Not that I need to, I am an Uchiha after all." Itachi stated plainly.
Sakura breathed sharply as Itachi finally drew closer to her, until their bodies were touching. His body was warm, witch surprised her for some reason. He leaned down and said into her ear,
"I wonder if you understand why I did it..."
She blushed furiously, looking at his eyes, all black and filled with emotion, though she didn't know what emotions they were. Why am I behaving this way, Sakura thought to herself, I love Sasuke-kun...
Still too close for comfort, he gently pried the book from her fingers and stepped away looking at the book.
"Follow me."
He quickly walked into the maze of bookshelves and she followed suit, still shaken by his strange behavior.
Itachi led her to the back of the chamber, to the oldest looking bookshelf she had seen.
"In my younger days, I read quite a lot of these books myself, "Itachi stated, "I can only imagine why you are interested in these...but you should find what you need here."
With that he walked away quickly, leaving a very confused and grateful Sakura in his wake.
x
Naruto was trying his very hardest to read the books Sakura had dumped in his tent. She was sprawled out on the floor, reading herself.
He began to doodle on the page he was on but began to read the caption on accident.
"Ne, Sakura-chan. Read this!" He threw the book to her.
Sakura glanced at the cover. No decoration, not even a name. She open to where Naruto indicated and found a picture of the same painting from Shiho's book.
She cleared her throat and began to read.
"It is said, that the time in which we live is the second life. Long before this Shinobi world, even before our beloved Sage of the Six Paths, two beings were created. Once completely evil, the other completely good. The two could not leave each other alone, and they wrought the world with destruction, neither stronger than the other. Just as the world was on the brink of destruction, the Old Ones created a man whom could tame them. A man who we now know to be the Sage. He defeated the both of them, and punished both eternally. It is said that the roam this world, even to this day...looking for a purpose. "
Naruto and Sakura looked at each other, not sure what to think. Sakura continued,
"Legend has it that the two lurk in the shadows of our world, fighting in our wars and building our cities. They were supposedly born in where Uzushiogakure currently resides. It is rumored that this is their haven, and are credited to the creation of it. The oldest painting known to man can be found in this city, and the two figures in the back are speculated to be the two entities."
They sat in silence, absorbing the information.
"Sounds like a bunch of hogwash to me," Naruto said, scrunching up his face.
"The woman who was over you looks just like the woman in this painting. It might sound crazy...but reviving dead ninja to fight a war sounds just as ridiculous. Anyway, this Uzushiogakure sounds like a good place to visit...we can make it our base when we leave..." Sakura trailed off.
More silence. Naruto glanced at Sakura. While he was excited to leave, he didn't know where to start. Maybe this was Sakura's idea of a lead, an excuse to finally go.
"Well then lets go!" Naruto smiled widely.
x
As the mask of deception falls off the face of humanity
Unveiling the grim reality of duality
In which everyone is a casualty, no one will be exempt
Truth has many shades
It's not a matter of black and white, but gray
Although many, we are one, so in the final analysis
Could it be we are fighting a war that can't be won?
x
I pretty much do what I want. LOL! Anyway, this will be an epic/romance fic...hopefully. There is a good chance I'll keep revising this.
Yo mother bitch,
Ramenism